NEW ORLEANS — Who would have guessed that Ohio State and Clemson would meet in a College Football Playoff semifinal? They’ve only done that three times in the last five seasons. It hasn’t worked out for the Buckeyes, who lost last year’s meeting 29–23 after blowing an early 16–0 lead and dropped a 31–0 rout to the Tigers in the 2016 semifinal.
In fact, Clemson has won all four meetings with Ohio State in the series history, winning the Orange Bowl, 40–35, in 2013 and claiming a two-point Gator Bowl win in 1978.